Sustainonomics

Nov 1, 2009 12:00 PM, By Robert Barkin

Interest in green projects grows when they show a positive bottom line
Decades ago, when Roy Gold became aware of the importance of environmentalism at the first Earth Day celebration, people considered him a “tree hugger” and dismissed his passion for preserving natural resources as the quixotic campaign of a young college graduate. Today, as a businessman and city councilmember in Coral Springs, Fla., Gold’s motivation in his quest for sustainability has changed from the fire of youthful passion to a hard-eyed pragmatism driven as much by dollars and cents as the need for preserving the planet’s ecology.

“This is not based on ‘Let’s help the planet,’” Gold says about his city’s initiatives. “It’s based on economics. We can reduce the use of energy and costs. We can reduce the waste of water and reduce costs. People are looking at the bottom line.”

December 24, 2009

The Coral Springs Forum Dec. 24 edition recognized Commissioner and Resource Recovery Board Member Roy Gold for his work to secure “a $12 million signing bonus for member cities in a contract that is to be signed next year between the county, the board and Wheelabrator, a company that operates the waste-to- energy facilities where solid waste is disposed for 26 cities in the county.”

The new contract will result in savings of $44 million for the Broward waste disposal district, said Ron Greenstein, RRB executive director. “There is going to be a 36 percent reduction in waste-disposal costs,” Greenstejn said. “Coral Springs will be able to save over $4 million a year.”

Greenstein lauded Gold for his efforts that resulted in the bonus. “It was his idea; it was a tough negotiation, but it paid off in the end. It was out of the box thinking [and] I applaud him for that.”

“Cities have always given incentives for businesses, [but] it is the other way in this case,” Greenstein said. “I’ve been an elected official for 20 years [and] I’ve not seen this happen before.”